This post is all about how to maintain a clean home.
Maintaining a clean home can feel like a lot of work…a lot of work that’s never ending. I mean, as soon as you finish a load of laundry, doesn’t it feel like there’s already another load that needs to get done? We’ve all felt the frustration of the constant battle to keep our homes clean day in and day out.
I’m here to tell you, if you’re feeling that frustration right now, you’re not alone. I feel it quite often too. So I’ve put together a list of strategies homeowners can use each day in order to keep the mess to a minimum and keep clean homes without allowing messes to overtake our space.
First, I will give you some tips on how to tackle the big mess that may have already accumulated. Then we will go over the top strategies on how to maintain a clean home on the day to day.
This post is all about how to maintain a clean home when you feel like giving up.
How To Tackle The Current Mess In Your Home:
1. Start small
If your home has gotten so messy to the point you don’t even know where to begin, try not to get too stressed. Instead of looking at the huge mess you have in front of you, focus on one small section of that mess and only clean that area.
It can be just the side table in the living room or the TV stand. Just begin to declutter very small areas at a time and pretty soon, you’ll have accomplished quite a bit in a short amount of time.
2. Clean the areas that you use most often first
By first cleaning your most used areas of the house, you will feel much better since that’s where you spend the most time. Once those main areas are clean, you will be able to start working on the areas you spend less time in and it won’t feel so overwhelming and daunting.
3. Organize as you go
Get a large box for donations and another box for garbage. As you clean, sort through everything and decide if you really need or use it and donate it if not. Things that aren’t good for donation and can be tossed, put those in the garbage box. Decluttering is KEY to maintaining a clean home.
You’ll be surprised how good you’ll feel by doing this and how less overwhelmed you’ll start to feel as you continue this process.
4. Do a thorough cleaning
Now that everything is picked up and organized, you’ll want to dust, wipe down and clean everything.
If doing this in one day feels stressful to you, break it up throughout the week.
This weekly cleaning schedule will help you create a system for cleaning your home.
How To Maintain A Clean Home:
1. Clean up messes as you make them
When you’re leaving a room, look around to see what you might be able to take with you, whether it be trash or something that’s out of it’s place.
This is the kind of chore that’s never ending, but if you keep up with it on a small scale like this, it won’t accumulate and it’s easier to manage and stay on top of on the day to day.
2. Have a weekly cleaning schedule that you stick to
To keep your home clean all week long, it’s important to have some sort of weekly cleaning schedule set in place that you follow. I created a quick and easy weekly cleaning schedule you might like to use, or you can create your own that fits the way you like to clean.
Either way, your weekly cleaning routine should consist of cleaning the kitchen, sweeping, mopping, laundry, and taking out the garbage.
3. Never go to bed with a dirty kitchen
It’s a good rule of thumb to never go to bed with a dirty kitchen. That’s because dishes are one of those things that accumulates very quickly and becomes harder to do the longer you let it build up. Try to make it a habit to clean the dishes after every meal you cook, and certainly make sure all the dishes are done every night before you go to bed.
4. Keep cleaning products accessible in key areas around your home
In the bathroom, I like to have sanitizing wipes under the sink so I can do a quick wipe down at any moment. I keep all my kitchen cleaners under the kitchen sink. I have a broom and vacuum in the upstairs closet AND in the downstairs closet as well.
5. Make your bed every morning
This should really be number one because it’s the very first thing you should do before you start your day, and it really only takes a minute. A clean or messy bed can really set the tone for the rest of the day, so start off on the right foot with a neatly made bed.
6. Clean out your drawers and closet regularly
If there are clothes you haven’t worn in a year, donate them. Go through your kitchen cabinets and donate everything you don’t need or use. You’d be surprised how much of the clutter in your home happens just because there’s not enough space for all of it.
7. Make sure everything has a home
Set organization systems in place around your home so that no item is left without it’s own designated spot. Under the cabinets, in drawers, on surfaces. Even your keys should have a place to be set down whenever you walk in the door whether that be a hook or a bowl. Wherever it may be, make sure everything is organized and has a home.
8. Watch for items that look messy
Your home could be as clean as can be, but if the shoes by the door are on their side, or the frames on the wall are not straight, the kitchen rag is just sitting out on the counter unfolded…your house will still give off a “messy” vibe.
Whenever you notice something, try and straighten it out right away and ensure everything looks very tidy.
9. Don’t forget to deep clean
A deep clean doesn’t need to happen very often, but there are certain things around your home that need to be cleaned every now and then. You can read this article about the top places people forget to clean. There are other things that should get cleaned every 6 months or so like your windows. Stay on top of these too because it all contributes to the over all cleanliness and affects the feel of your home, even in the smallest of ways.
This post is all about how to maintain a clean home.
Other Posts You May Like:
Quick & Easy Weekly Cleaning Schedule You’ll Actually Stick To
The Complete Spring Cleaning Checklist For Homeowners | Free Download!